Friday, January 24, 2020

The Hogans RIP

Most of us who were around in the 70's remember when Ross Hogan ('72) left us. It was jarring, to say the least.

Then, in 2009 older sister Kathleen ('70) passed on. Even though I didn't know her, I know she was friends with many. Her wonderfully written obituary is here. A short quote from it:

"Kathleen passed away on Friday, January 23, 2009 after spending 7 years upending medical knowledge as we know it. Her fierce determination to live and her resilience in her illness gave those who knew her many more years to love her than we should have been allowed."

This all came up because someone on social media was looking for Jim Hogan ('74).  He was found, via a beautiful heartfelt obituary written by his daughter, posted here. A bit from it:

"There’s no way to even begin to encompass everything that my dad was, the good and the bad, in this brief space. But they say life is fragile. And as my dad aged, he could be fragile too. But I think they’re wrong about life. Life is not fragile, but fierce. But life is fleeting. And I, my sisters, my sons, and especially my mother, are so grateful for the time we were lucky to share with Jim Hogan."

And then...with too much time on my hands and google, I looked for Patty ('72), Ross's twin sister, only to find that she passed away in July. Her obituary is here. And then a few months later the father passed away.

It's almost like a book closed, but not really. The next generation is already making their mark in this world, blessed to be a part of the Hogan family.

Now, I don't have a photo of Ross, just some really blurry group photos in a yearbook, so I'm not including any of the rest of the family...they can be found if you click on the links above. However, I did decide to include one of all of the Hogans that I borrowed from one of the links...simpler times. May they all rest in peace.


Pamela Riedel Allan RIP

Clarence alumna ('70) Pamela Riedel Allan passed away after a hard fought battle with cancer. Many may remember her not only from school, work, or otherwise, but at the Labor Day weekend picnic, working at the hamburger/hot dog stand that was on the right hand side just as you entered the beer tent! It was a family thing, many relatives worked there at one time or another. Pam will be missed...


Allan-Pamela S. (nee Riedel) December 31, 2019. Former spouse of Russell Allan "Friend of Bill W."; dear mother of James (Beth Miller) Allan, Kelly (Troy) Baker, Aaron Allan and Donna (Robert) Laudico; grandmother of Zachary, Emily, Garrett, Payton, Andrew, Matthew, Kaitlyn and Nicholas; daughter of the late Edmund and Margaret "Peggy" Riedel; sister of Paul (Patricia) Riedel and the late Edmund "Don" (late Barbara) Riedel, former daughter-in-law of Leona Allan and the late James Allan.

Funeral Services were held at the Town Line Lutheran Church, Alden, NY. Mrs. Allan was an employee at the Erie County Home, Alden, NY. for 27 years. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Roswell Park.